Sports: Pro Sports

It seemed as if Peyton Manning was saying it because he had to say it. It was after the New England game last week and the Broncos fell way behind before making a spirited comeback, only to again fall short in the end.

And so Manning was saying what coaches and players always say.

"Once again, we did continue to fight and compete in the second half," Manning said.

A leader has to stay positive. Can't let the team get down.

"Which I do think we can build on and have it help us win a game at some point," Manning said.

Yeah, right, Peyton. Here the Broncos were again Monday night in a pivotal AFC West game against the rival San Diego Chargers.

The Broncos fell way behind, again by 24 points. Way, way behind. Only this time, all that practice at overcoming a large deficit paid off. Manning was brilliant in leading the Broncos to a shocking 35-24 win against the Chargers.

The Broncos trailed 24-0 at halftime. Not that this was all that unusual. In losing three previous games, the Broncos were down 20 points in the fourth quarter to Atlanta, 20 points in the fourth to Houston and 24 points late in the third quarter at New England.

The Broncos rallied in each game before losing by six points, six points and 10 points.

This time, Manning and defensive back Tony Carter had a 24-0 deficit changed to a 28-24 before the game reached the nine-minute mark of the fourth quarter. At one point in the second half, Manning was 13-of-13 for 167 yards and three touchdowns. He didn't do it all by himself. He was a hero but so were defensive backs Carter and Chris Harris.

Both Carter and Harris were elevated by the absence of right cornerback Tracy Porter, who was sick and missed the game. Carter had an interception and 65-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Harris had two interceptions, including a pick six with 2:05 remaining that clinched the game, San Diego's fifth second half turnover.

It was potentially a monumental win for the Broncos. For starters it evened their record at 3-3, leaving them tied with the Chargers (3-3) for the AFC West lead.

This is tie that has a feel of the Broncos running away with it.

The first half was a disaster for Denver. It wasn't so much the Chargers stormed the Broncos as much as the Broncos beat themselves. Three Bronco turnovers resulted in 17 Charger points.

Chargers tight end Antonio Gates stretches for a touchdown as Broncos safety Mike Adams tries to hold him back Monday at Qualcomm Stadium. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

The first mistake was the old careful-what-you-wish-for lesson. The Broncos acknowledged Jim Leonhard was a sure-handed punt catcher but they wanted more return. So they claimed the explosive Trindon Holliday off waivers. Holliday failed to catch two short punts that gave the Broncos' poor field position and muffed an attempt at a fair catch that gave San Diego the ball at Denver's 17 yard line.

It took Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers about three series to warm up so Holliday's muff only led to a short field goal.

On the ensuing kickoff, Broncos returner Omar Bolden fumbled. The Chargers' offense went back out there with the ball already in the red zone. This time, Rivers hit tight end Antonio Gates for a 15-yard touchdown pass. It was 10-0.

Broncos QB Peyton Manning looks to hand off to running back Willis McGahee during the Denver-San Diego game Monday. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

In the second quarter, with the Broncos struggling to execute their no huddle offense amid the din at Qualcomm Stadium, Manning finally connected on a deep pass down the middle to Eric Decker, who was open from here to Carlsbad. It appeared Decker would score on the play but before reaching the Chargers' 40 yard line, the excitement of it all caused him to stumble.

He wound up with a 55-yard gain to the Chargers 30. Nice play but three plays later, Manning threw a square-in pass to Matt Willis. That was a problem. Willis ran a go route. The ball landed in Quinton Jammer's stomach. He returned it 80 yards for a touchdown.

The Decker stumble may well have been a 14-point play. The three turnovers enabled the Chargers to build a 17-0 lead. The Chargers finally scored a touchdown on their own, although a defensive holding penalty on Broncos rookie linebacker Danny Trevathan did convert a third down. Rivers hit Gates for another touchdown, this one for 11 yards and it was San Diego 24, Broncos nothing but embarrassment.

And then, as they always do, the Broncos rallied. This time, they came all the way back. Manning started the rally on the first series of the second half. He set the Chargers up with three completions in the soft middle of the Chargers' defense to tight end Joel Dreessen for 11, 19 and 10 yards.

That opened up a deep throw to Demaryius Thomas, who easily beat Jammer for a 29-yard touchdown.

After the Manning-to-Thomas touchdown, Rivers was driving into Broncos' territory when Broncos' defensive end Elvis Dumervil got in to swat the ball out of his hand as he attempting to throw. Carter, playing because Porter was left home sick, picked up the ball and raced 65 yards for a touchdown.

Now it was 24-14 and the Chargers were in trouble. Denver's defense finished off a three-and-out with a sack by rookie Derek Wolfe.

On the next drive, Manning mixed in Willis McGahee runs with short passes. But this time, he needed a Manning special. In what may have been the pass of the 2012 season, Manning converted a third-and-16 on the first play of the fourth quarter with a pass down the left sideline to tight end Jacob Tamme.

Tamme ran a sideline-and-up and just as he turned up, the ball was there. The 25-yard gain gave the Broncos the ball at the 25 from where two McGahee runs and two Manning passes to Decker finished the job.

On a swing pass to Decker from the 7, the receiver would not be denied as he bullrushed a defender into the end zone. Just 1:27 into the fourth quarter, 24-0 was 24-21.

Manning completed the comeback with a 21-yard touchdown to Brandon Stokley, a play that was sensational in both pass and catch. The Broncos were up 28-24 with 9:03 remaining.

At that point, Rivers and the Chargers fell apart. Rivers threw his fourth interception, a sideline pass that Harris picked off and returned 46 yards for the clincher.

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